Begin To Shift

As for us, we have all of these great witnesses who encircle us like clouds. So we must let go of every wound that has pierced us and the sin we so easily fall into. Then we will be able to run life’s marathon race with passion and determination, for the path has been already marked out before us. We look away from the natural realm and we fasten our gaze onto Jesus who birthed faith within us and who leads us forward into faith’s perfection. His example is this: Because His heart was focused on the joy of knowing that you would be His, He endured the agony of the cross and conquered its humiliation, and now sits exalted at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 TPT

And each and every time God pries our hands off of the worry we cling to, He fills them anew with more of Himself so that we feel not only free from the stress of so much worldly noise around us but also free to live a life focused on following God’s call, a life free to love and serve others as God intended.

Choose to focus on God. Don’t let your heart be enslaved to the things of this world. When we shift our focus to Him, His Peace will consume us. His Peace will overtake us. Pray and seek God’s face. Choose to let your heart reflect His Word. The landscape that we see today will change. The leaders that we see today will change. The nations that we see today will change. God never changes. His Word never changes. His Way of doing things will never change. Choose to shift your focus. Let’s build our lives on His Word. Build our lives on the Rock that never changes  

1 Peter 1:23-25 NET You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. For all flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of the grass; the grass withers and the flower falls off, but the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.

In other words, to stop our striving is to trust God’s equipping. He is the One who works in us and through us. As we surrender to His indwelling Spirit, we find perfect rest.  If we’re attentive, listening when we pray, we’ll glimpse a greater purpose in the distance— It’s a purpose beyond ourselves. A purpose bigger than ourselves. One that’s worthy of the life we’ve been given to live. 

For some, this purpose is centered on family: their spouse, kids, parents, or other relatives.  For others, this may be a specific cause: the homeless, the environment, animals, people with disabilities, or something else. 

Still others might discover that in their career or work they are able to find greater purpose by serving others and not merely earning a paycheck. 

God has a role for each of us in building His kingdom. What needs of others do you have the ability to meet? Maybe if we approach our daily lives in a way that is different from the way we approach our pursuit of goals we will find a God filled purpose that creates a joyful, giving heart in us, not for applause but because it’s the way of Jesus.

And I hope whatever we do we do it while exhibiting such virtues as compassion, wisdom, prudence, modesty, fairness, and humor. These are the kinds of virtues we draw nearer to when we spurn the world’s harsher values of greed, acquisitiveness, and showing off. As we grow closer to God through we recognize the fruits of the Spirit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  

When we surrender ourselves, our hearts to the Lord, our focus will begin to shift. When we surrender to Him, our priorities will begin to change. When we lean into Christ, our will begins to align with His Will. Seek His Word. Choose to set your eyes on Him, focus. With God, we can continue on through uncertainty, grief and confusion because He gives us the strength we need to get through this life. We are not alone. He is larger than our problems. Christ is bigger than our circumstance. HE IS OUR SALVATION. He holds our purpose in His hands. He holds time in His hands. He holds our future in His hands. Time bows to Him. God is not bound or limited by it. We are called and invited and created to love and serve God and others. We are able to do this because of His grace, simply beautiful unmerited grace.